London 2012 Olympics: Australia will take smallest team since 1992 to Games after footballers fail to qualify

Australia will travel to London with their smallest Olympic contingent since
1992 after the failure of several teams to qualify for the 2012 games.

Down and out: the Socceroos lost to 1-0 to the United Arab EmiratesPhoto: AFP

By Telegraph staff and agencies

10:24AM GMT 23 Feb 2012

The Australian Olympic football team lost 1-0 to the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday, joining the women's football team and women's volleyballers in missing out on an Olympic berth.

However, Australia's Olympic football coach, Aurelio Vidmar, has said that missing out on qualifying for the Games for the first time in 28 years will not plunge the future of the Socceroos into crisis.

"The players are devastated," Vidmar said. "It would have been a big thing to go and represent your country and play at the Olympics, but it's not to be."

Australia's 'Olyroos' needed a win in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday to keep their hopes alive, but the loss left them winless in five games and still searching for their first goal.

"It was those small details, which end up being pretty big ones when you can't score," said Vidmar.

The football teams would have taken 18 players each, while the volleyball team reduced the projected contingent by another 12.

The Australian Olympic Committee had estimated it would send 420 competitors to London, but that may now be around 370 at best.

Australia sent 279 athletes to the 1992 Barcelona Games, coming home with seven gold medals, while 417 went to Atlanta in 1996.